Households and family types
Households of foreigners are most often couples with children. In contrast, native households are most often couples without children.
Households bring together individuals living in the same dwelling. First, we must distinguish between private households, which involve the majority of the population living in so-called ordinary housing, and collective households, where individuals live in communal settings (most often in care homes or nursing homes, but also in barracks, prisons, adult shelters, and even religious communities, etc.).
In 2021, most residents in Luxembourg (643,941 people) lived either in private households (632,610) or in collective households (11,331).
Collective households:
a diverse minority
Graph 1. Number of people in collective households by 5-year age group, 2011-2021 - Source : STATEC, RP2021
In 2021, out of 11,331 people living in collective households, more than half were over the age of 65, three-quarters of whom were women. These were mostly residents in retirement homes or nursing homes for the elderly.
Between 2011 and 2021, the peak age of seniors living in collective households shifted to older age groups due to increased life expectancy. This reflects a later entry into dependency, a sign of improved healthy longevity. Among individuals aged 85 to 89 residing in Luxembourg, 21.6% of men and 37.5% of women lived in collective households.
In contrast, changes in the percentage of young adults in collective households highlight, in particular, the growing accommodation of refugees in shelters, including men, women, and children. The peak observed for the male population in 2011 corresponds to residents of barracks.
Private households:
couples remain the dominant form
The 2021 census data confirm that the majority type of household is based on couples (regardless of legal status: married, in a registered partnership, or cohabiting), with or without children, accounting for 63.1% of households.
Between 2011 and 2021, the most significant growth was seen in childless couples (whose share increased by +2.1 percentage points), primarily due to increased longevity and thus a later onset of widowhood. The rise in single-parent families (+1.9 percentage points), formed by so-called "isolated" mothers or fathers, is also notable. While women were overwhelmingly the majority in single-parent families in 2011, there has been a partial rebalancing between men and women, which may be attributed to the complex decisions around child residency in cases of shared custody.
These household transformations can be understood in the context of a combination of demographic phenomena:
- Increased longevity,
- Young people staying at home for longer periods,
- The housing crisis,
- The arrival of numerous immigrant families between the two censuses,
- The Covid-19 pandemic.
Households of Natives and Immigrants
The geographical origin of the reference person—either the working individual or the eldest in the household—is a key characteristic of households, based on whether they were born in Luxembourg or not.
Over ten years, the population of individuals living in a household where the reference person is a native of Luxembourg has remained stable, with a slight decline of 0.2%. In contrast, the population of individuals living in a household where the reference person was born outside Luxembourg has seen significant growth, increasing by 55.2%.
Households where the reference person was born abroad are more often couples with children (51.2% compared to 43.0% for native households). Conversely, households where the reference person was born in Luxembourg are more often couples without children or single mothers.
Similarly, the average number of children per household is higher in households where the reference person was born abroad. Native households, on the other hand, tend to have fewer children.
Life as a Couple and Presence of Children
in the Household by Age
The diversification of household models is more clearly observed across age groups.
Firstly, individuals are forming couples later in life: among the 25 to 34 age group, for both men and women, the percentage of people living as a couple has declined by nearly 5 percentage points, reflecting a delay in couple formation of nearly one year.
In the 40 to 49 age group, the rate of living as a couple has decreased by around 2 percentage points. The impact of higher male mortality means that there are fewer widowers than widows: men thus have a higher likelihood than women of remaining in a couple until the end of life. However, between 2011 and 2021, this relative advantage of men in terms of remaining in a couple into old age has diminished.
After the age of 75, more women are living as a couple in 2021 compared to 2011, as they become widows later in life.
Graph 2. Percentage of individuals living as a couple by age group and sex in 2011 and 2021 - Source : STATEC, RP2021, RP2011
When examining the legal forms of coupledom, the data reveal a clear diversification of marital models chosen by couples, especially among younger generations. Among those aged 30 to 34, 56.1% of couples are married in this age group. Compared to 75.1% in 2011, this represents a rapid decline in marriage in favour of registered partnerships and cohabitation.
This profile of young adults contrasts with that of individuals over the age of 60, where more than 90% of couples are married.
The number of children in the household is another crucial aspect of household life. The curve peaks between the ages of 40 and 44, corresponding to the period when the youngest children are born while the older ones have not yet left the household.
Married couples have the highest number of children on average compared to cohabiting couples, with individuals in registered partnerships falling between the two.
Origins of Couple Members and
Average Number of Children
Another aspect of diversification appears in the composition of couples by country of birth. Younger age groups include more couples where both members were born abroad. Conversely, among those aged over 70, native couples are the majority, whereas they make up only a quarter of couples under 50.
Moreover, households where the reference person was born abroad are more often couples with children. In contrast, households where the reference person was born in Luxembourg are more frequently single individuals, childless couples, or single mothers. Overall, in 2021, households with children were more prevalent among immigrants.
Graph 3. Percentage of couples by country of birth of the couple members in 2011 and 2021
Same-Sex Couples:
Greater Statistical Recognition
Changes in the legal framework governing same-sex couples (notably the 2004 law recognising civil unions, particularly for same-sex couples, and especially the 2014 law allowing same-sex couples to marry) have also contributed to the diversification of family models, a characteristic of advanced post-industrial societies.
Although comparisons over time may be delicate, the 2021 census recorded 3,300 people living in same-sex couples, compared to 826 in 2011.
This represents a threefold increase in their proportion within the population of couples compared to 2011. This trend confirms that, in Luxembourg as in other European countries, same-sex couples now enjoy greater recognition through censuses.
Suburbanisation of Families
There is a marked territorial distribution of couples with at least one child under the age of 25. In 2021, only 18.8% of such families lived in Luxembourg City. By contrast, other municipalities on the outskirts of the urban area of Luxembourg, such as Betzdorf, Flaxweiler, and Manternach, all had more than 38% of such families.
Economic factors (e.g., cost per square metre) and urban planning preferences (e.g., a preference for intermediate densities) may explain this specific distribution of families. In contrast, the living arrangements of single individuals and childless couples are more compatible with residing in Luxembourg City.
Map 1. Percentage of private households consisting of a couple with at least one child under 25 years in 2021 - Source : STATEC RP2021.
Find out more about households and family types in Luxembourg
More results
In the coming months, various publications will be produced for the public, but also for the public specialised in demographic issues. At the same time, statistical tables on the various census topics will be published on the Statistics Portal.
Why is the census important?
Census results are essential information for public policy decision-making.
Census data help to forecast needs for land use planning, schools, nurseries, hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, housing, etc.
Pourquoi le recensement est-il important ? (Video/Audio YouTube)
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